Demo site results: Optimising Fertiliser use in North Motton, Tasmania
A PotatoLink demo with grower Coby Badcock tested four fertiliser strategies on a Tasmanian crop, comparing high-input vs sap-guided approaches. The results offer insights into nutrient timing, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness—proving that more fertiliser doesn’t always mean better yield.
Don’t Plant a Pest: Mastering Biosecurity at your Farm Gate
Shakira Johnson (AUSVEG) breaks down key biosecurity risks for potato growers—starting with infected seed—and offers practical steps to keep pests, diseases, and weeds off your farm. From certified seed to clean water and machinery, this article outlines what to check, record, and monitor to protect your crop and soil.
Cover Cropping in Practice with Grower Mark Fritz
Queensland grower Mark Fritz shares two decades of lessons using cover crops in a potato farming system. From improving yields to reducing inputs, his practical approach offers insights for anyone looking to build soil health.
Drones in potato farming - A bird’s-eye view of the future
From canopy-targeted spraying to reducing soil compaction, drones are changing how potato growers manage crops. We spoke with contractor Rhys Muir to learn how this tech is being used in the field — and what it means for the future of farming.
Navigating Biological Products
Biological products, or biologicals, are a diverse group of agricultural inputs derived from living organisms such as plants, insects, microbes, or fungi. In potato production, these products can be used alongside conventional management practices for a variety of purposes such as improving nutrient efficiency and pest and disease management.
Protecting your crop: Potato seed hygiene
Maintaining proper seed hygiene is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect your potato crop from pests and diseases. This factsheet outlines essential practices to keep your seed clean, healthy, and ready for planting.
Protecting your crop: Handling potato seed
Good crops start with great seed. This factsheet outlines best practices for handling seed potatoes — from selection to planting — to help you get the most out of your crop.
PotatoLink R&D Forum - 2025
The R&D forum held in Brisbane on the 4th of June showcased Australian potato levy-funded R&D and other projects, highlighting practical outcomes and insights that support real-world adoption on-farm. View the presentations here.
Ag-tech: Speed and accuracy with seed sensing technology
New seed sensing tech helps pinpoint missed or doubled seeds in real time—boosting accuracy and yield while cutting waste. Read more to learn about developments in ag-tech in the potato industry.
Monitoring key soil-borne diseases of fresh potato in WA
A WA study used DNA-based tools to track powdery scab, black dot, and common scab. The findings highlight both the value and limits of soil testing in managing the impact of disease on tuber quality and yield. Read more in Issue 16 of PotatoLink magazine.
Ask the Spud GP: N and early blight
Can extra nitrogen protect potatoes from early blight? The Spud GP article from Issue 16 of PotatoLink magazine answers a grower’s question, sharing the latest research on when and how to apply nitrogen for the best disease resistance.
Biosecurity: People, vehicles and equipment
As biosecurity risks continue to grow, protecting your farm starts with the fundamentals. This article from Issue 16 of PotatoLink magazine explores practical steps growers can take to reduce the risk of pests and diseases entering via people, vehicles, and equipment to ensure a resilient and productive future for the Australian potato industry.